The moods of Bud Powell are some plenty darn ones – corners of sound that few other players had explored at this point in time – served up here especially well in the album's gentler numbers, which almost seem like evil doppelgangers to some of the more rote cocktail piano of the 50s! Powell's in tremendous form here – opening up with imagination on each new number, but never losing his sense of soul in styles that are too modern or too stiff. Rhythm is from Art Taylor on drums, and either George Duvivier or Percy Heath on bass – and titles include a great version of the Powell standard "Time Was" – plus the tracks "Buttercup", "Fantasy In Blue", "The Best", and "It Never Entered My Mind". Nice David Stone Martin cover too! CD

Boogie, electro, and 80s groove – all sorted out nicely in this killer collection of ultra-rare cuts! As with previous volumes, this edition of Nighttime Lovers shows a side of the 80s that hardly got any play at the time – the more underground work by lesser-known artists, much of which was issued on the bigger labels, but failed to crack the charts! You'll recognize a few familiar names here, but even those are represented by under-discovered corners of their work – and in true early 80s spirit, most tracks here are heavy on beats and keyboards – yet still leave plenty of room for real soul vocals. Titles include "So Delicious" by Point 3 FM, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Streetlife, "Never Gonna Give You Up (12" version)" by Gwendolyn Lassic, "Make It Easy" by Cross-Phyre with Demetrius, "You're My Doll Baby" by Norfolk, "Special Part Of Me (12" version)" by Charles Blackman, "The Same For Me" by California Executives with Ronald Dudley, "Magic Touch" by Gang's Back, "Love I Thought I Never Would Find Love" by James Govan, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnny Taylor, and "I Got My Game Plan Working Baby" by Arlene Bailey. CD